The present disclosure relates to containers, and particularly, to lids of containers, such as buckets or pails. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a container lid having one or more indicators that activate in response to actuation of a user input.
Many containers have lids that cover, either partially or completely, openings in the containers. Some containers, such as buckets or pails, are designed for use on special occasions. For example, children and others may use containers to collect and carry items, such as candy, gifts, or other treats at cultural festivals such as Halloween, Easter, Christmas, and birthdays. During Halloween children often go from door-to-door collecting candy during xe2x80x9ctrick-or-treating.xe2x80x9d These children carry containers to hold the treats that they receive during these activities. Some containers used during Halloween have lights. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,200,000; 5,597,230; 4,802,071; and 4,698,732.
According to the present disclosure, a lid has a top wall that covers at least a portion of an opening in a container when the lid is coupled to the container. The lid also has a user input and an indicator that is configured to activate in response to actuation of the user input by a user.
In illustrative embodiments, the user input and the indicator are coupled to, or otherwise supported with respect to, the top wall of the lid. The user input may comprise, for example, a button, a knob, a switch, a lever, or the like. The indicator may comprise, for example, a light source and/or a sound source. The top wall of the lid may have apertures through which the indicator is viewable and through which the user input is accessible. The top wall of the lid may have an opening through which items are be placed into the container.
In addition to the indicator and the user input, the lid may have other circuit components such as a power source, a circuit board, wires or other suitable electrical conductors, an integrated circuit chip, a clock or oscillator, and discrete circuit components, including impedance components such as resistors, capacitors, and inductors. Some or all of these circuit components may be coupled directly to the top wall of the lid with suitable fasteners, may be situated within a housing that is coupled to the top wall of the lid, or otherwise may be supported with respect to the top wall of the lid via suitable supporting structure.
In some embodiments contemplated by this disclosure, the container comprises a pail and a handle coupled to opposite sides of the pail for pivoting movement along a handle pivot axis. In such embodiments, the circuitry may be arranged relative to the top wall of the lid so that the pail is balanced when the lid is coupled to the pail and the pail is carried by the handle in an upright position. The lid and/or the pail may have one or more locators that serve to properly position the lid on the pail so that the pail is balanced when being carried by the handle. In one illustrative embodiment, the locators comprise a set of stops or lugs that are appended to an annular rim of the lid and a set of notches that are formed in the pail and that are configured to receive the lugs of the lid. In another illustrative embodiment, the lid has spaced apart stops or lugs that are situated on opposite of a boss coupled to a sidewall of the pail.
In illustrative embodiments, the lid is configured for various holidays or cultural festivities. For example, the top wall of one illustrative lid is embossed with a jack-o-lantern face. The top wall of another illustrative lid is embossed with a Frankenstein-type monster face. Thus, these two lids are suitable for use during Halloween. Also contemplated by this disclosure is a lid having a top wall with an image of a heart for Valentine""s Day and a lid having a top wall with an image of a Christmas tree. Thus, lids having all types of images, including Holiday-related images, are contemplated by this disclosure. Such images may be molded, stamped, or otherwise formed in the lid during manufacturing, may be printed directly on the lid, may be printed on a decal that is attached to the lid, or may be otherwise fabricated as a separate element that attaches to the lid.
In the illustrative embodiments having a jack-o-lantern face and a Frankenstein-type monster face, the user input of these lids comprises a button, which is associated with a nose of the respective face, and the indicator comprises lights, such as LED""s, which are associated with the eyes of the respective face. When the xe2x80x9cnosexe2x80x9d button is pressed downwardly toward the pail to which the lid is coupled, the xe2x80x9ceyexe2x80x9d lights are turned on and may flash or pulse. The mouths of the illustrative faces provide openings for placement of items into the associated pail. In embodiments having an image of a heart, the user input may comprises a button in the shape of an arrow. The buttons of these illustrative lids may be either momentary buttons that are pressed continuously by the user to activate the associated indicator or toggle-type buttons that, after being pressed, activate the associated indicator continuously until the user presses the buttons again to deactivate the associated indicator.
Additional features of the disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived.